Sacramento County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Unincorporated Sacramento County is served by several water purveyors (including the Sacramento County Water Agency, Sacramento Suburban Water District, and others), so the precise outdoor-watering schedule depends on your supplier. and prohibits irrigating landscaping within 48 hours of measurable rainfall; under adequate-supply conditions it recommends, but does not mandate, an odd/even watering schedule, and drip irrigation is exempt from day-of-week restrictions. Layered on top of any district rule are California's permanent statewide water-waste prohibitions, enforced by the State Water Resources Control Board, which apply to everyone regardless of provider.

These statewide prohibitions ban: applying irrigation water so it runs off onto streets, sidewalks, or adjacent property; using potable water to hose down sidewalks, driveways, and other hard surfaces (except for health/safety); washing a vehicle with a hose lacking a self-closing shut-off nozzle; irrigating turf and ornamental landscapes during or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall of at least a quarter inch; and operating decorative fountains without a recirculating pump. Additional state law (AB 1572) phases in a ban on using potable water to irrigate non-functional (purely decorative) turf at government, commercial, industrial, and institutional properties on deadlines beginning January 1, 2027. Always confirm current stage and rules with your specific water provider.